From the moment Carly Rae Jepsen arrived at NPR HQ for her Tiny Desk concert, she brought an obvious sense of joy. Take, for example, her sound check: Working with her band of longtime collaborators, she seemed downright delighted, beaming at the musicians as she gave notes after each meticulous run-through. It's that attention to detail that's helped build her a devoted fanbase ready to make memes of her every move.
Her performance was a long time coming: In 2012, Jepsen's No. 1 hit "Call Me Maybe" was inescapable, and her 2015 album E-MO-TION made her a critical darling. An extremely high proportion of NPR employees also happen to be fans of the left-of-center pop star; despite the nonstop impeachment hearing coverage happening just down the hall, Jepsen commanded a considerable and captivated crowd at the Tiny Desk.
For the performance, Jepsen and her band played three songs from her latest album, Dedicated, modulating the album's sparkling pop-disco vibe to fit our sun-filled office. From the smiling swagger of "Want You In My Room" to the head-rush of a new crush on "Now That I Found You," to "The Sound," Jepsen and her band even shared a few laughs during the set — and the whole crowd left smiling a little bit bigger.
SET LIST
- "Now That I Found You"
- "Want You In My Room"
- "The Sound"
MUSICIANS
Carly Rae Jepsen: vocals; Tavish Crowe: guitar; Nik Pešut: drums; Jared Manierka: keys; Adam Siska: bass; Sophi Bairley: vocals
CREDITS
Producers: Bob Boilen, Marissa Lorusso, Lyndsey McKenna, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineers: Josh Rogosin, James Willetts, Patrick Boyd; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Jack Corbett, Maia Stern, Kara Frame ; Associate Producer: Bobby Carter; Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey; VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann; Photo: Mhari Shaw/NPR